BUDGET PROPOSED FOR FARM SECTOR

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has proposed a budget of Bt213.386 billion for fiscal year 2019 to boost production as part of an upgrade of the agricultural sector.

Vinaroj Subsongsuk, secretary-general at the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), said that among the four groups of projects planned, the ministry's budget for 11 integration agendas including water management, agricultural production capability development, and research and development accounts for Bt117.873 billion while the expense for functions including basic plans or strategies amounts to Bt37.581 billion.

The planned expenditure budget for development of regional areas total Bt30.961 billion and estimated expense for state staff amounts to Bt26.969 billion.

Among 11 agendas for integration, the plan for development of agricultural production capability, led by the OAE, has proposed a budget of Bt20.365 billion, seeking to increase management efficiency, throughout supply chains, of agricultural products - particularly rice, field corn, tapioca, oil palm and rubber, and strengthen farmers' capability and self-reliance according to the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy.